Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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Zhai Xingchen woke up naturally.
The room was still pitch black, so much so that he thought it was still dark. He reached for his phone, checked the time, and realized with a start how late it was.
He hurriedly sat up in bed and found that Pei Xu had drawn the hotel curtains.
He hurriedly got up to wash up, and when he went into the bathroom, he discovered that the underwear he had put inside after showering the day before was gone.
He searched around for a while, and finally pulled back the curtains, only to find a chair outside the curtains, with his and Pei Xu’s underwear draped over the back of the chair.
One black and one white.
One big and one small.
The sunlight was shining on it.
His face turned red with embarrassment.
Compared to Pei Xu’s underwear, his seemed so…small.
It gave the feeling of a clear distinction between the dominant and submissive roles.
Then, thinking that Pei Xu had brought it over and that Pei Xu had seen it, his face inexplicably turned even redder.
He turned his head and glanced at the camera next to him.
Pei Xu’s jacket was still draped over the camera.
The door suddenly opened, and when he turned around, he saw Pei Xu had returned.
Zhai Xingchen blushed and said, “Good morning.”
“You’re up,” Pei Xu asked. “Did you sleep well last night?”
Zhai Xingchen said, “I’ve been sleeping until now.”
Pei Xu saw the underwear on the windowsill and said, “I’ll take it out and air it in the sun.”
Zhai Xingchen hummed in agreement, took his clothes from his suitcase, and went to the restroom to change.
Pei Xu noticed that his underwear was all pure white.
Pei Xu stood by the window, staring at Zhai Xingchen’s white underwear on the bench. He pursed his lips, feeling a little dry. He put his hands in his pockets, clutching the cotton gloves inside.
Since Yan Zhi and Pei Xu had both bought food, and Huo Cheng had even made porridge, there was no way the eight of them could finish it all. In the end, Duan Yihua came up with a solution: he divided up some of each item and sent it to the production team.
After breakfast, Pei Xu and Zhai Xingchen set off for the market.
“There’s a supermarket right here. Why do you have to go all the way to buy something?” Hu Ying said, watching them leave.
“They’re not just going shopping; it’s like going on another date,” Duan Yihua said.
Yesterday’s sunset was breathtaking, and today the weather was exceptionally clear, without a single cloud. The sky was a vibrant blue, like a piece of jade, and even the sunlight was incredibly clear. However, Zhai Xingchen didn’t seem as relaxed as before.
He and Pei Xu remained silent the entire way.
Because of the growing popularity of “Red and Blue Signal,” the production team did not send any cameras to follow them to the market this time. They were only allowed to bring their own handheld cameras. As soon as they got out of the car, they put on masks, hats, and gloves, and were fully armed.
Zhai Xingchen glanced at Pei Xu and said, “They definitely won’t recognize you now.”
He went to buy groceries, and Pei Xu was in charge of filming. After he finished buying the groceries, Pei Xu immediately reached out to take them.
Seeing that he was still holding the camera, Zhai Xingchen said, “I’ll do it myself.”
Pei Xu still took it. Zhai Xingchen glanced at Pei Xu, who was fully armed except for a pair of very handsome eyes. Pei Xu saw his gaze and explained, “I’m stronger than you.”
“I have energy too.”
Pei Xu laughed and said, “Okay, you can carry what I buy next time.”
He said this with a smile, and his voice was quite soft. Even through the mask, Zhai Xingchen could detect a hint of doting in his voice.
When they went to buy sweet potatoes again, Pei Xu indeed did not accept them.
Pei Xu had only been to the market twice in his life. The first time, there were so many people that he couldn’t even get close to Zhai Xingchen. This time, it was just the two of them. He followed Zhai Xingchen around, glancing at him and then at the camera. The weather was sunny today, and because it was Saturday, there were even more people at the market than the last time they came. It was bustling with activity, steaming with white vapor, and filled with the sounds of vendors calling out their wares. It was a scene full of the warmth and life of everyday life.
“Should we buy something to eat?” Pei Xu asked.
Zhai Xingchen said, “How can you eat while wearing a mask?”
There were too many people here, and a lot of young people too. Seeing them carrying handheld cameras, many passersby had already started to look at them.
“We can buy some and eat it over there.” Pei Xu pointed to the wheat field in the distance: “There’s no one there.”
“What would you like to eat?”
“Roasted sweet potatoes[1],” Pei Xu said.
Zhai Xingchen went and bought him a roasted sweet potato.
Finally, they bought a sweet potato, a red bean cake[2], and two cups of pear soup[3].
They put everything else in the car, and the two of them carried the steaming hot snacks to the distant fields.
The wheat fields stretched as far as the eye could see, covered in snow. There were very few tire tracks on the paths between the fields, and the snow crunched underfoot. A river flowed not far away, and Pei Xu walked toward the river while eating roasted sweet potatoes. Zhai Xingchen had no choice but to follow him.
The river was dry, and the riverbed was overgrown with weeds, mostly covered by snow. The area was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the bustling market in the distance. A few birds landed, hopped a few times, and then flew away again. Zhai Xingchen drank his pear soup, his nose red from the cold. Seeing that Pei Xu had finished his sweet potato, he handed him another cup of pear soup.
“Is it sweet?” Pei Xu asked him.
“It’s very sweet,” Zhai Xingchen said. “The sores on your lips seem to be much better.”
Pei Xu said, “I didn’t feel too hot yesterday.”
Zhai Xingchen smiled.
Pei Xu took a sip and said, “It’s sweet.”
Pei Xu wore a black cotton hat that covered his entire head, making his face appear even whiter and his features more defined, highlighting his handsome and refined features. Perhaps due to his good mood, his complexion was rosy, and he looked exceptionally energetic and clean.
“You keep buying pear soup because you see me getting a sore throat?” Pei Xu asked.
“No, it’s just that I personally prefer pear soup,” Zhai Xingchen said. “Not all types of ‘heat’ can be reduced by pear soup. Your ‘heat’…”
He was only halfway through his sentence when Zhai Xingchen realized something was wrong.
Oops.
Sure enough, he saw Pei Xu purse his lips and say, “Oh.”
Pei Xu turned his head to the side, revealing only his bright red ears.
“…You probably just aren’t used to the fire on the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove).”
“Um.”
The two silently drank their pear soup. Another gust of wind blew by, and Pei Xu moved to the upwind side, getting closer to Zhai Xingchen and using his body to shield him from the northwest wind.
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